2011 Global Reading Challenge Europe #1

This is the best book I've read so far this year, granted its only the third, but I think It'll be a strong contender far the rest of the year as well. That's for one simple reason, this books complex simplicity. 'I'm Gone' has so much going on in its 195 pages; it's the story of a fifty something womanizer with a bad heart, there are love affairs and hurt feelings, business deals in the world of fine art, travel to exotic places, and encounters with strange people, there are mysteries and disappearances, murder, and even an art heist.

For all that activity those 195 pages should feel uncomfortably jammed full of seemingly unconnected events, and under a different writers pen I'm fairly confident I'd be hear saying just that, that this book was the work of a confused an erratic author that was completely unable to decide what sort of book to write, so he just wrote everything. But, I'm not hear saying that, Echenoz has put all these things into a book, a short one at that, and made it fit seamlessly, and that goes back to that complex simplicity I spoke of, because that is life, a lot can happen and some of the time we're at a loss to explain why.

This was the first book I've read by Jean Echenoz, but it will not be that last. Furthermore, I cannot recommend this book anymore fervently, the descriptions are beautiful, the pacing fantastic, and the story itself is great.

2011 Gothic Reading Challenge #1

Alright, let me start off by saying that The Alienist was not a terrible read, but I did find myself wandering quite a bit as I read it. On this latter point I blame myself, because one compliment Carr unarguably deserves is that he can set a scene. I frequently found myself transported to the various scenes and settings of this book, 1890's Manhattan. The characterization was also pretty admirable, both real historical and purely fictitious characters well fleshed out, which gave their stories weight, as I was then invested in them as real.

My complaints begin with Carr's introduction of forensics of the age. Not to suggest it wasn't interesting to see the disparity between what was considered normal and radical forensics at the time, just that the pace slowed considerably whenever it was brought up. And that leads to the second complaint, overall pacing. In the first act the book moved swiftly, as is to be expected of any introductory faze of a thriller. The third act was fantastically paced, and I couldn't help but finish that last third in less than a day. But, it seemed that in the second act, the bulk of the investigation into the killings, the pacing was just off. I understand that in the real world investigations take time and are generally speaking monotonous things, but this is a book, a thriller no less, and to go nearly 100 pages, a 5th of the book, without any significant events seems like an odd choice.

Again, even with all that said, this was NOT a bad read. Perhaps my problems with its pacing were simply that, MY problems, and maybe it was a poor choice to read something meant for a mass audience after reading more academic works, but I stand by my criticism of the central pacing.

Overall rating: Good Vacation Read

David Foster Wallace, author of 'Infinte Jest', talking about the future of fiction.

2011 Global Reading Challenge Africa #1

Well, here goes. The first book I picked to read for the challenge was Coetzee's Dusklands. While technically two novellas, 'The Vietnam Project' and 'The Narrative of Jacobus Coetzee', I think it works best as it is presented, as one work because of how the two different men's experiences reflect off of each other.

'The Vietnam Project', the first of the two, is about a man tasked with constructing a more effective form of psychological warfare against the Vietcong and the disastrous effects this has on his mental well being. Through exposure to the worst the war had to offer Dawn, the main character, seems to begin to detest all life, eventually going crazy.

The second story, 'The Narrative of Jacobus Coetzee' is about an 18th century Dutchmen landowner in Africa on an elephant hunting expedition. When he falls ill he is taken in by a native village he had earlier come into conflict with. His pride as a white man explorer amongst savages again brings him into conflict with them and they expel him from the village, but keep all his supplies, cattle, guns, and food, and all but one of his slaves desert him and stay with these people. On the long trek home, and after his last remaining slave falls ill and he leaves him, Jacobus encounters a fire for life at the most basic level, calling himself a white bushman, romping in the dirt, naked except for his shoes, which he won't forgo, and even entertains the idea of abandoning his properties remaining a wild man, but decides better of it and returns home extinguishing that fire.

Either story on its own is great, but when read in succession they further illuminate the madness that these two men encounter. A fantastic, though at times tedious, read, and well worth your time and patience

Also going to try and complete a few more book challenges this year. Here's the rundown.

1.Chunkster Reading Challenge

Definition of a Chunkster:

• A chunkster is 450 pages or more of ADULT literature (fiction or nonfiction) ... A chunkster should be a challenge.
• If you read large type books your book will need to be 525 pages or more ... The average large type book is 10-15% longer or more so I think that was a fair estimate.

I'm going for Level 4- Mor-book-ly Obese - This is for the truly out of control chunkster. For this level of challenge you must commit to EIGHT or more Chunksters of which three tomes MUST be 750 pages or more. You know you want to.....go on and give in to your cravings.

2. Gothic Reading Challenge

There is nothing better than a great Gothic read - crumbling old castles, mysterious legends, shadowy characters, supernatural beings and unexplainable events, make for some of the most haunting and captivating reading imaginable.

Not sure what level I'll be shooting for, but whichever it should be fun

3.Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge

I'm going for 'Super-Frog' level, which means I'll be shooting to read everything available in english that Murakami has written.

Here's more info on 2011 Global Reading Challenge

First Book in Global Reading Challenge

Just started reading J.M. Coetzee's 'Dusklands', making it my first entry into the global reading challenge. Coetzee is a South African writer, though he is now living in Australia. I'm counting it as my first African entry.